Disclaimer: I haven't kept up w/ shit. Honestly, I don't fully understand what the Wii U is. I have noticed a few of the announcements though. I suppose the new Zelda game actually does look like a nice throw back to Ocarina of Time. There was no announcement for anyone to make a 256-bit 2D console, so, I'm only slightly entertained by most of the announcements.

Wii U - looks like the end of Nintendo as we know it, stock dropped like a rock the day and day after the announcement but I'll buy it

in the aftermath of it all it's like they don't know themselves what they are doing. Afterwards i thought "well, i guess you could all sit around the main TV and play D+D style games or strategy games where you play your moves and the TV shows the aggregated result" but then it turns out the base unit only supports one ipad style controller?

No specs announced seems to suggest they want room to finalise the base unit to be as cheap as possible and seeing as they are aim for SFF + X360 level then i don't see them busting a nut (again). It'll be nice to get Nintendo games in HD but i'm a little miffed that they want to be 4-5 years behind the curve. I guess maybe it's the realisation that the MS/Sony's plan is possibly unsustainable - or maybe because i'm a tech wh0re.

I really can't wait for Armoured Core 5 - much to my surprise. It looks like all the good stuff from Chromehounds has been copied in detail and then improved drastically for the online so i'm extremely excited. The follow up to Demon's Souls (whose name escapes me) looks exteremly hot and i look forward to smashing several controllers all over again. Friend Jake Kazdal's "Skulls of the Shogun" is still looking like it's going to be a great mix of action/strat . I'm Halo'ed out and never got round to finishing Reach, Gears - similarly a bit meh, but will play.

Given most my gaming is being done on the go, i'm against the grain and mostly excited for PSVita. I just hope it's similarly crap on the security side so we can have the buggery out of it

But it's got a muscular chick with a big ass. That makes it required playing for me. Actually I really like the art style. If you wanna see hideous 2D check out the new Rayman. I wonder what Macaw was thinking when he saw the trailer.

FUCK ME DEAD I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT DRAGONS CROWN UNTIL THIS THREAD THIS THE THE GREATEST LOOKING NEW 2D ACTION GAME IN OVER A DECADE AND ITS NOT HANDHELD EXCLUSIVE EITHER PROBABLY THE ONLY CONCEIVABLE THING THAT COULD BE BETTER IS A NEW CONTRA WITH QUALITY 2D LIKE THIS BUT A MEDIEVAL BRAWLER IS STILL GOOD ANYWAY

Ara Ararauna, Blue and Gold Macaw, 32-34 inches
They are adaptable, and enjoy being in social situations. They readily become adept at performing tricks, and seem to love doing so. Cost:$900-1400

I don't see how you could hate of the art style either. Minus the emphasized proportions this is fully Frazetta/Vallejo stuff, in other words the 80's conan/swords and sorcery style. We haven't seen that from a Japanese developer since the 90's.

You have to wonder just how much higher profile this game would be in Western countries if it had the Golden Axe license on it.

Ara Ararauna, Blue and Gold Macaw, 32-34 inches

They are adaptable, and enjoy being in social situations. They readily become adept at performing tricks, and seem to love doing so. Cost:$900-1400

George Kamitani is no doubt a skilled artist but I don't like the crazy proportions here just as I don't like deformed characters in anime. I much prefer modestly proportional art, like in the original D&D brawlers. That said, Dragon's Crown's in-game characters seems a bit more subdued.

As for Contra, Konami finally officially announced the 3DS title that's been listed on Amazon for months but didn't show any pictures.

Odin Sphere and Muramasa had wonderful visuals and 2d action, but I couldn't handle playing them to completion because of the grinding through endlessly boring areas. The bosses are great, but the filler between each one is just too much of a drag.

I'm sure Dragons Crown will still allow for grinding, but the fact its belt scroll and obviously using the d&d games as a design base I thing it will provide much more exciting and straightforward arcade style action. But I guess that's still yet to be seen.

The main thing is whether the "quests" will be separate linear stages like that in an arcade game, or if the whole game will be open and free to explore more along the lines of a Metroid game. The former is obviously what I would want, as it will mean more exciting and fun stages. Much like Castle Crashers the game could then just let you replay stages over again if you want to grind.

Ara Ararauna, Blue and Gold Macaw, 32-34 inches

They are adaptable, and enjoy being in social situations. They readily become adept at performing tricks, and seem to love doing so. Cost:$900-1400